Cindy Shank was raising her three young daughters with her husband, Adam, when her life was turned upside down in 2007: She was prosecuted on conspiracy charges tied to her long-past relationship with a her late boyfriend, a drug dealer.

Because of mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines, she was given 15 years in federal prison.

Her story is the basis for the documentary “The Sentence,” set to air on HBO on Oct. 15, which screened on Capitol Hill this week. Far more than just another issue-oriented project, it’s the type of project that some lawmakers hope will create momentum for sentencing reform.